Finding Li
by DuskShadowleaf
Summary: Amber's attempt failed. Contractors have been revealed. But, the story has just begun... Starts 3 months after DtB. Features HeixMisaki, Parental!HeixYin, past HeixAmber, and past MisakixNovember. Too many pairings... Please R R! Some angst and gore.
1. Moving On

A/N: This is my first attempt at a really full-length story, so bear with me! Also, these first few chapters, I'll really be trying to set an introduction to the plotline I've been thinking over for a few months now. Please be patient. I want to get to the fun stuff too, but as with anything DtB, it needs a good dosing of angst to really get things moving. I really, really need lots of reviews on what I can do better. This is the first time I've tried to do anything like this! I'll stop babbling now. Thank you so much if you're deciding to try reading this!

--

_Her worst fears were confirmed as the door was slowly nudged open. Strangely empty of all personal effects, the apartment seemed as though it had never been inhabited. As the old landlady babbled on about the good student he had been, she stepped through as if he would explode out from a corner, crying "Surprise!" and grin with that twisted smile of his. Only the truth remained to greet her, however, as the threadbare apartment gave up its heart and soul to her. _

_He had always been strange. That much was easy to tell. It wouldn't surprise her at all that his home seemed less than lived in. Still, it was almost as if he were depriving himself by surviving this way. Trying to hide the pain that crashed down on her, the woman struggled to maintain an objective viewpoint. As much as she wanted to believe otherwise, he was a contractor. He had killed before. He had lied to her every time she looked at him, or spoke a friendly word. And, he was gone._

_Almost absentmindedly, her gaze drifted to the single window that graced the wall. The view presented to her, a snapshot of the smog-entrenched city streets, seemed to press in on the walls. Even through all that, she noticed, green was everywhere. Even in the polluted air and surrounded by concrete, bushes blossomed from any available land. Trees dotted the landscape. Even through all the hardships, growing in a place and a way that did not suit them, they still managed to thrive and carve out a home. Her amber eyes, now soft and sad, wandered the landscape as if drinking it in. Almost as if unbelieving, her mind took a moment to register what she saw._

_A single figure, jacketed in forest green, trudged slowly across a bridge._

_Wait for me. The thought seemed to explode from her as she raced across the cityscape. Even as her breath pounded and her lungs began to burn, she called to him, to wait for just a moment. Her mind raced. What would she say to him if he stopped? Should she thank him for saving her life? Should she be afraid of him? Would he kill her? The questions matched her breakneck pace, but didn't seem to leave a mark on her mind._

"Misaki."

_He didn't even seem to be running. Somewhere, a part of her that watched the melancholy play that was their life laughed at the sheer unfairness of it all. She, a trained policewoman, couldn't catch up to a man that barely seemed to be speed-walking, even when she was running flat-out. _

"Misaki..."

_But, even as the air came in gasping breaths, the barest hint of a smile began to creep into the corners of her mouth. She could catch him. She would. And then, she would hear his answer. She had so many questions! Her mind spun from the events of the past few weeks. She was running faster, and he was just a little farther ahead! Hair flying, she turned the corner, but he was – _

"Misaki! Wake up and do your work!"

Kirihara Misaki flew back in her chair, eyes going wide. Blinking rapidly to clear her vision, the woman realized that she had been staring at the same form for 5 minutes. Grinning a little foolishly, she glanced up to where Mayu Ootsuka sat waiting.

"S—Sorry..I don't know what came over me there..Just let my mind wander a little.." Trying to hide how flustered she was, Misaki patted down the blue jacket she always wore until her hands encountered the imprint of a pen beneath a pocket. A quick flick of the fingers, and the papers were signed and back in Mayu's hands. The Astrological Department aid looked as if she would say something, but thought the better of it and was out the door.

Safely alone in her office once more, Kirihara relaxed back into her thoughts. It had been three months since the day of the solar maximum. Things in her workplace had settled back into a semi-normalcy, but she couldn't get the unfinished feeling out of her thoughts. It was as if your favorite book had climaxed, but the last pages of the novel had been torn out violently. Questions whirled unanswered in her mind.

As had been predicted, the world had not reacted well to the admission that Contractors existed. The public was still in a state of shock, though the initial outrage had worn off after a few weeks. Instead, the stage of bewildered fear was setting in. Unable to tell who was a contractor or who was human, most had simply settled for a general mistrust of strangers. The world was not the place it had been.

The work day faded to a close. As her co-workers trickled out of the office for the night, Misaki hung behind tying up the loose ends. She was the last to leave the office floor once again, flicking off the lights as she tucked her stray belongings into a bag slung over her shoulder.

If you asked her if her decision to reveal the Contractors bothered her, Misaki would of course agree. Many times she had had to explain away the dark circles under her eyes, unwilling to reveal the nightmares that kept her up at night. She wondered at exactly how many deaths she had caused.

Still, Misaki firmly believed that she had prevented just as many deaths. Though it was difficult, the policewoman held to her faith that the truth would prevail. Contractors could not hide forever, that fact had been carved in stone along with the appearance of the Gates.

A key turned roughly in the lock. As she pushed the door to her apartment open, Misaki sank gratefully onto a couch.

The world was moving on. Eventually the shock and paranoia would fade to distrust, and eventually to a thought kept on the back shelf of one's mind, out of notice. The populace would wonder that they had ever felt such emotions about living around the Contractors. They would trust again.

Kirihara couldn't help wondering if she would, though.


	2. Remember

A/N: I LOOOVE wikipedia. Anyone who says otherwise is a goody-goody. So many random facts that you can't find elsewhere. Note, please, that I'll be making many assumptions about what happens after the series that some may not agree with. DtB, as any fan knows, doesn't really HAVE an ending, and as such I'm making my best guess as to what the characters did after it.

On a side note, any opinions; Does the DtB universe have a moon? Most would immediately say yes, but if you think about it, the sky is fake, with all the stars replaced. Why would there be a moon? Plus, my friend and I went through all the episodes and you never see one. Any opinions one way or the other?

--

"Mr. Takahiro, a moment please?" A reedy voice carried across the expanses, its thin tones betraying the strength with with it seemed to pierce into the hearer.

He spun on one heel, the tray still balanced on one palm. Though it teetered precariously, anyone who was familiar with the man would have assured the dubious observers of its security on that hand. At this moment, though, he had bigger issues on his mind than the safety of one serving plate.

The man stood amidst a horde of tables, the restaurant around him casting bright sparkles from every reflective surface. Usually a calm and peaceful place, this evening it had taken on a frantic pace as guests poured in from every entrance. All of the staff members were working at their limits, pushing for every second.

Now, he was forced to pause with his tray of food steaming away its heat, and wait as his supervisor began the task of working his way over to him.

Even prepared, the waiter winced as a hand clapped down on his shoulder that the other probably thought to be companionably. He was a tall man, to be sure, but his boss made any man feel tall. With short-cropped black hair, a voice fit to slice through the toughest eardrums, a far overexcited personality, and a height reaching to the average woman's chin, the owner of the restaurant made a sight to dread. Resisting admirably the urge to back away (or seriously maim) the man, he waited for his superior to get around to explaining exactly what he wanted.

"Kenji, you're a great worker." His boss began speaking with his usual imperious manner, waving one arm dramatically to state his point. The trapped waiter could only watch helplessly as a nearby guest adopted the terrified visage common to those who have fingers waved mere inches in front of their faces at high speeds. The restaurant owner, however, seemed not to notice, and continued on unabashedly.

"This is why I'm so sad to have to bother you! It's rare to see someone that truly cares about their work. Why, some of the people that I see try and apply, they don't even look like they want the job! I say to them, 'Why do you walk through that door when you're not going to..." The tiny man went off into his own, private world where people listened to him, and ignored the slowly cooling food in the waiter's hands.

"Uh...Mr. Hotaka, sir? Excuse me?" His usually expressive blue eyes spread wide in helpless apology, the waiter tried desperately to slip a word in edgewise. As if a light came on in his head, his boss finally seemed to remember what he had originally come for.

"Right you are, Kenji! I won't keep you a moment longer! It's just..." Mr. Hotaka's features took on an awkward, embarrassed quality. "Your sister...Some of the other workers are complaining...She's got to keep the line moving, or we'll have to find someone else...You understand, don't you?" Almost sheepishly, the man looked towards his employee.

"Of-of course, Mr. Hotaka. I'm so sorry. I'll go have a word with her straight away." Juggling the plate as though his wrist was tiring, the waiter cast an eye at the tables filled with hungry guests. Catching on, his boss clapped him once more on the shoulder.

"I'm sure you will. She's a nice girl, too...Such a pity, such a pity..." Still mumbling to himself, he wandered off to bother another helpless guest.

Apologizing as he delivered the semi-cooled food, the waiter abandoned his tray and took to the server's hallways. These little-seen passages were simpler than the extravagant interior of the restaurant, painted a plain white with practical fluorescent lighting. Soon enough, the roar of many voices faded to a background hum, overcome with the sizzle of cooking food and the clatter of dishes. As he entered the kitchen, eyes searching still with the frantic sense of guests waiting and a job undone, a woman approached from behind. Her no-nonsense brown hair was tied back in a long knot that fell to halfway down her back, in her hand a still-sauce-covered ladle, the pot left untended on the stove.

"Looking for Kiyoko?" Her inquiring amber eyes widened slightly to regard the way he spun to face her, his eyes narrowed as if interpreting a potential threat. An instant later, as they widened again to show thankful appreciation, she wondered if she had seen him wrong.

"Oh, Natsuki. Yes, I am. Have you seen her around? I'm really sorry to take you away from your work." She smiled at him disarmingly, tucking a stray hair behind her ear.

"Don't sweat it, Kenji. Let me think...Last I saw, she was helping out on the dishwashing line tonight. I'd start looking over there, if I were you." He thanked her, already bowing slightly and moving along down the kitchen. Her eyes followed him for a few moments, before she sighed and turned back to her duties. _He's never been that type...Always has his mind on work. It's like he doesn't see anything else. Too bad. _

He spotted her. Her slender form stuck out amongst the others like a diamond in a granite quarry. Sure enough, though everyone around her scrubbed and rinsed with a feverish intensity, she seemed to be moving as though in a trance. The others cast glances her way that, while sympathetic, were definitely tinged with an increasing annoyance. He quickly slid into an open position beside her.

"You need to pick up the pace." His voice no longer carried the same innocence, pitched in a near-whisper that only carried to where she could hear. Obstinately, the girl maintained a snail's pace in her efforts. He sighed, scratching his scalp through medium-length black hair. Not for the first time, he cursed her growing independence.

"Now's not the time for this, you know that. Any reason in particular why you're being stubborn on this one?" She turned her head slightly, glancing with her strange violet eyes in his direction.

"They just keep on coming. How long do I continue for?" She spoke in her usual, tranquil tones, but with none of his softness. Though not loud (Rarely was she a loud person), several other employees nearby clued in on their conversation. This fact was not lost on the waiter-turned-dishwasher.

"We don't have that long left on our shift. Bear with it, ok? If we lose this job, we'll have to move again. Do you want that?"

"...No." She reached for another dish, putting a bit more energy into her movements.

"Thanks. Not too much longer, I promise. Then we'll go home." He turned and vanished back down the path into the main dining hall. Natsuki and another of the cooks watched him go past.

"It's so nice how he takes care of her...I mean, it's so obvious they're not blood relatives. They don't look a thing alike...Still, he looks after her so well, even her...odd tendencies. Rare to see a guy like that, eh, Natsuki?" The other cook grinned, elbowing her friend. Natsuki's eyes were still staring after him from the corner of her vision.

"Yeah, something like that, Ayano. If you don't pay closer attention to that, it's going to burn to a crisp."

The shift change came later than expected, with all the workers putting in overtime to deal with the rush of paying guests. By the time the two left the restaurant, the sky was dotted with stars through the dim haze of city lights. They walked in silence, broken only by their footsteps and the sounds of urban life around them. He had fought to find a job suitable for both of them within a walking distance of their residence, so it was a short trip back to their apartment.

Once inside, she immediately went to prepare for the night's sleep. He waited in the other room of their tiny apartment, sitting beneath the single window of the place. From their position, one had a good view of the cityscape, and if you were imaginative, you could almost see the sea beyond that gave the city of Yokohama its first prosperity. Even with the busy lifestyle beneath, his gaze was pulled upwards to the heavens masked in smog.

"_Do you want to see the old stars?"_

"_Rather than see them, I want to show them." She shifted, obviously troubled. "But, if the new stars don't go away, we won't be able to see the old stars." He glanced over at her, his face a mask._

"_They're just fake stars." His voice was low, as if speaking something that he wanted to believe was true. His voice had another layer to it, though, approaching disgust. She didn't look at him, staring at the ground between them as though fighting an internal battle._

"_But, if all those fake shining stars were to vanish...That would be a sad thing, too." Her eyes softened._

He stripped out of the tacky uniform, adopting his traditional white shirt instead. Trapped in a melancholy state that seemed all too familiar as of late, he hardly noticed as the girl poked her head into his room, coming out of his reverie when she stepped fully in.

"Going to bed?" She nodded, holding her silence. "All right, then."

"You should sleep." She spoke as if stating a fact, her features perfectly expressionless. He leaned back, resting his head against the wall. Memories of stargazing ran through his mind. Words, from many close friends now gone, rang through his ears.

"I will. Good night, Yin."

"Good night, Hei."

He never did find sleep that night.


	3. Absolute

A/N: All right. From here on out I'm really going to try and get this plot rolling. For those who couldn't tell, I'm going to alternate the story for a while between the different points of view. Because of this, the chapters will most likely be a bit shorter than might be expected. I'd like to work on that too :) But, it should be updated more often. Please read and review! I need your comments to improve!

--

It had been a long night.

The world may have changed, but the reality of it hadn't. Crime had been on the rise again, and the local task force had been working overtime to try and curb it. By the time she got home to go to sleep, it had been nearly time to get up and go to work again. The only thing currently keeping her vertical was either the exceedingly comfortable office chair she resided in, or the steaming hot coffee she had a death grip on.

Which was why Misaki was less than pleased to find her first scheduled activity for that morning was a one-on-one meeting with her boss. With a groan, she unseated herself from the perch she had just taken to trudge into an adjoining room.

She was even less pleased to find that the battle she had roused herself to fight was, annoyingly, one that she had already fought.

"Think about it, Kirihara. I know we talked about this before, but circumstances have changed. I think you should take another look at it." The burly man across from her pushed the folder back to her side of the table. She flipped it open with one hand, reading over the text again for what seemed like the thousandth time. Closing her eyes for a moment, the woman cursed the stubborn man for wasting her time.

"Sir, I don't see the point in this. I already refused this promotion once, not so long ago. I appreciate your intentions towards my career, and appreciate whatever kind thoughts made you think I deserve this. But, my situation hasn't changed so much. I still cannot accept this." He frowned, not reaching for the folder.

"I think things have changed quite a bit, Kirihara. Not only have you proven yourself to be a trustworthy and honorable officer, but you also now face the public eye." He shifted in his seat, coming forward to rest both elbows on his desk. "Think about it. You're Misaki Kirihara, the woman who stood up to her own boss, even facing her own death, to show the truth to the world. To the public, you're a hero! Someone in the system that they can trust to do what's right."

_Ah. I see it now._

"And the department would like to play off of those feelings?" Misaki tried to keep her tone as light as possible. Though this conversation seemed to be more candid than some in the past, this topic of discussion was still dangerous. She would rather not be fired. Her boss laughed slightly, leaning back in his chair.

"I won't lie, Misaki. It would do the public image of this police department a great deal to have someone like you in the media limelight. Of _course_ that plays a factor in this choice. But, believe me, it's not the only one. You've already been offered this promotion, remember? You have merit of your own without that."

She closed the folder firmly, passing it back across the table.

"I thank you for your kind words, sir. Still, I have to stick with my previous decision. The staff that I have right now is where I feel I should be for a while. I have no desire to change things up for a little bit." Her eyes apologetic, Misaki tried to convey her true feelings without seeming out of line. Her boss laughed, picking up the folder.

"I see you're convinced. Very well, then. You're dismissed." She rose with a bow, turning to face the door.

"Ah, just one thing." Stopped by the voice calling her back, Misaki glanced back to the man seated behind the desk.

"Sir?"

"You're going to have to accept this someday, Misaki. There's getting to be quite the buildup of junior officers waiting for promotions under you. I don't like a block in my career pathways." He winked, then waved her on. "That's it."

"Of course, sir." Resuming her path to the waiting door, Kirihara quietly exited and sped towards freedom.

"Finally!" The chair creaked alarmingly as Misaki returned to her office. The others in the room looked up from their paperwork, all infinitely curious. They knew she had been called away for an important meeting, and most of them had a good idea what the meeting was for. Still, none of them truly knew what her reaction would be to the news. None of them wanted to lose their leader, either.

Kirihara simply resumed her work as if nothing had happened. Even as she flipped open a case folder and began scribbling notes madly on a notepad, a deathly silence fell over the office. Yutaka moved over to perch himself on the corner of her desk, as if waiting for her to enlighten them. Instead, she merely fixed him with an icy glare.

"What do you want? My desk was just cleaned, you know." He clapped a hand to his chest, as if mortally wounded.

"Oh, so heartless, Ms. Kirihara. Us lowly grunts were merely wondering what you decided to work out with the supervisor." Misaki looked around at the others, who seemed to be very interested in their work without actually turning pages or writing notes.

"Well, if it's any business of yours, he offered me the promotion again." The others smiled.

"So, then, when do you get your new office?" Kirihara looked back to Yutaka, confused.

"What do you mean? I turned him down, of course." Waving one hand, she continued to scrawl notes across the notepad. "I know all of the cases involved with this position. With things going as they are, we can't afford to be training a new employee. Besides, I like it here. There's no reason for me to move up." This last statement was accompanied by a general facepalming of the staff.

"Kirihara...Of course we're glad that you're staying. Still, you're going to have to move up someday..." Saito interjected, glancing up from his work to stare her in the face. She shifted, uncomfortable with so much attention placed on her.

"I-I know that. But, someday doesn't have to be now. Don't you all have work to do, anyway?" With mutual grumbling, the office returned to a general state of productivity.

Her steps clattered hollowly in the deserted hallway. The Astrological Department was barely lit, only natural light leading the way through a large set of double doors to the main planetarium. As always, Misaki was taken aback by the sheer size of the operation. A row of green-lit tanks held the Dolls used by their organization, with a matching bank of computers equipped to interpret the information gathered.

The main focus of attention, though, was the ancient woman standing on the main podium. Attached to numerous cables and with the night sky displayed all around her, she seemed to radiate the aura of mystery that surrounded the place.

"Misaki! I didn't hear you come in!" The crisp voice pulled her out of her reverie. The leader of the Astrological staff came out from behind the bank of computers, smiling widely. It was no secret that the two of them had been friends since their school days, and the astronomer seemed to need no reason to skip on a few minutes of her work.

"Sorry, Kanami. I know this is sudden of me to come in." Kanami Ishizaki shook her head, her ponytail sending cascades of hair bouncing.

"That's not a problem, and you know it. Only, don't you have work of your own to do? It's rare to see you doing something else. What are you here for, anyway?" Misaki sighed, rubbing her forehead with one hand.

"It's not that long before closing. I got off work a few minutes early to come down here. And, I wouldn't be here except for you forgot to send me a report on the activities this week." She adopted a lecturing tone, leaning forward slightly. Kanami went pale, grinning slightly.

"O-Oh, yeah. I knew there was something I forgot to send you. Let me just pull it up real quick." She returned to the bank of computers, typing with the speed of years of practice. "Still, did you really need to come all the way out here just for that? That's what you have a liaison for, right? You're going to drive poor Mayu out of a job." The astronomer pulled a sheaf of papers out of the printer, passing them over to Kirihara.

"Well, there's also something I wanted to check." Misaki moved closer to one of the tanks, using the pale green light illuminating one of the Dolls to read the printout. "It's hard to tell from one side of the data, but I get a strange feeling about some of the activity lately. Figured I could come down and check it out since I've got a few minutes." Ishizaki took her wrist, pulling her into a side office. Once inside, she flicked on a light. Misaki winced, blinking once or twice at the sudden flood of light.

"So. What's up." Kanami seated herself at a long table, slinging her wrists lazily over the arms. Misaki spread out the reports on the table, adding in a few she had brought from the office with her. Highlighting a few important lines, Misaki took a chair across from her friend.

"It may be nothing. Still, I've noticed that in general the frequency of Contractor incidents has decreased. Would you agree with this?" Kanami closed her eyes for a moment, as if running numbers through her head. Nodding, she looked back to Kirihara.

"Yeah. We haven't seen nearly so much activity in the stars in recent days than before the Solar Maximum. Many fewer shooting stars, as well. What do you expect to make out of that, though?" Her voice was tinged with obvious skepticism. Misaki shrugged.

"Well, we've had basically zero instances of normal people reporting incidents with Contractors. I would argue that any cases of activity that we've seen have been Contractors fighting amongst themselves. That isn't that unusual; They've done that all along. But, everything feels very...I'm not sure what the right word is. It's like they're testing the depths." She pressed a thumb into her temple before looking back to the notes. "To be perfectly honest, it reminds me of when you're in the first stages of gang warfare in a new town. Some grandstanding, but mostly an awkward shuffling of power."

Kanami nodded, shuffling papers back into some semblance of order. She seemed to be thinking as she did so, perfectly silent. Misaki waited patiently, equally unmoving. Finally, Ishizaki tapped the papers on the desk to straighten them, and looked back into her friend's eyes.

"That would make sense. From what we've seen, most of the major players in the Contractor's organizations have been taken out. UB-001, the leader of the EPR, fell during the Solar Maximum. HM-432, a member of the Syndicate, and your English friend are gone as well. Not to mention the hundreds of Contractors that fell in the fight." Misaki nodded, her throat tightening. The loss of November 11 still weighed on her hard. Kanami continued, unnoticing.

"Those that didn't fall, are in hiding. The other M16 operative and BK-201 have been perfectly silent since the Solar Maximum. With all of this, we've seen a record number of new stars showing activity. Even though in the grand scheme of things there's been very little movement on the part of the Contractors, those who are acting are new players who we don't know anything about." Misaki nodded.

"They're reorganizing." She whispered. "Forming up new organizations out of the shambles of the old. But, what agendas do they have to cause the divisions?"


	4. Before Tomorrow Comes

A/N:

1. Sorry about the slow update. To make a long story short, a major issue in my medical history that I thought over has come back to bite me in the butt, and I might not get much writing done over the next few months. We'll see how it goes.

2. Sorry about the crappy chapter. I had writer's block over every single paragraph of this, and had to fight to put it out. I also learned exactly how hard it is to keep Hei in character while actually having him _do_ anything. God, strike me down if I ever make fun of another author's Hei.

3. Yes, I have a naming pattern for TSB members. It's probably not very obvious at this point. It might become more obvious, or it might be so obscure I have to explain it.

A standing request to all reviews; 1. I hope you DO review 2. I need help. Because everyone got killed off, I have to think of new organization names, contracts, remunerations, and organizational naming patterns. I have all of my friends employed now, and I MIGHT have enough powers to make it through the story. Still, if you have any gems, please EMAIL them to me at .

On with the story.

--

Unlike the night before, the next day was a relatively peaceful one at their workplace. To tell the truth, the restaurant wasn't very profitable except for in special occasions or in the popular times. Most of the working day, the employees took turns working and waiting for more business, none willing to leave for home and give the impression they were replaceable.

It was in one of these such breaks Hei found himself with nothing left to do. The lunchtime rush was over, and only a few afternoon snackers or coffee-drinkers were seated out in the dining area. With the business gone for the moment, they were once again overstaffed. The Human-turned-Contractor-turned-Waiter currently resided leaning against one of the counters, trying to look less annoyed than he felt.

It was all fine and good, to break away from an organization. And, luckily, Amber's dire predictions hadn't come true. It seemed that with all of the chaos that overcame the Syndicate, they had much better things to do than chase after a wild contractor and a doll. It had been simple enough to disappear quietly into the surroundings.

Yokohama had been a good choice of a new hometown. It had been obvious to Hei that they couldn't stay in Tokyo, at least not for a long period of time. There were too many people who knew his face, and might be looking for him there. The bustling port town, however, was quite convenient. It was close enough to Tokyo that they didn't feel too out-of-place, but the enormous and varied population allowed them to vanish in the crowd.

Taking on a new persona had seemed almost second-nature to Hei. Physically, he looked like any other average Japanese man from a distance; A fact that had surely saved his life on more than one occasion. Though he had adopted the persona of a Chinese transfer student with the Syndicate, he no longer needed to uphold that act. His Japanese was flawless, and none would have believed the man had played the part of a Chinese man for so long.

Yin had been harder to hide; Her appearance was rather distinctive, even in a town and country as 'distinctive' as Japan. Her reclusive nature also posed some awkward questions wherever they traveled. Hei had fabricated a story about her having psychological difficulties, but it was still best to avoid attention whenever possible. Anyone who was experienced at all with the Gates and Contractors would see her in an instant for a Doll.

Which is why he was so surprised, unpleasantly so, when he saw what she was doing at the moment. Yin stood in her normal position by the tub of water where she watched dishes, but one hand was dipped halfway into the stagnant, grease-covered liquid. Hei's heart leaped into his throat as he saw her Observation Spirit lingering in a corner. Trying to keep his innocent mask in place, he reminded himself over and over that only Contractors could see them as he made his way to her side.

With a faint flicker and a single ripple, the glowing form blinked out, off somewhere skimming across the water's surface. Hei paused for a single heartbeat, then casually leaned against the counter beside her. She paid him no attention. It didn't really bother him; The employees had all by now experienced her more unusual habits, and normal humans couldn't see a Doll's apparition.

You could never tell just where a Contractor might show up, though.

"We talked about this before, Yin. Can't you wait until we get home?" Yin continued to hold her silence, one hand held into the water. Her eyes flickered slightly, and she turned her head to look at him out of the corner of her eye.

"Can't go home. They're here." If Hei felt any shock at all from the news, he didn't show it. He turned his head slightly, keeping his tone casual.

"Explain. Tell me everything."

"Three Contractors. Two men, one woman. They went to our apartment complex. Knocked on our door." Though he might appear to be at a peaceful calm, Hei's mind was spinning down various escape routes by now, all calculation.

"How do you know they're Contractors?" At Yin's glance, Hei muffled a curse. "Never mind." _The only people who could find us here are Contractors. That was remarkably stupid of me._ "All right. We need to find a way out. Where are they now?" Yin blinked.

"They talked to the Landlord. One of them has a cell phone; He called someone a few minutes ago." Yin withdrew her hand, wiping it idly against a hanging towel. "They're not doing anything. I don't know who they called." Hei nodded.

"All right. We need to get out." He took her by the wrist, making for the back door to the kitchen as quickly as they could while still seeming casual. Several of the employees looked up, but looked away disinterestedly.

As his hand touched the cold metal of the door handle, it opened from the other side. Hei blinked, stunned for a moment, as two men stared back from the other side of the now-open door. He was the first to recover, taking a step back into the kitchen and motioning for the two to go on ahead. With his other hand he subtly nudged Yin back around the corner, out of sight of the two. Understanding, she quietly moved into an adjoining room where she would be hidden.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to cause a collision at the door." Putting on his cheerful mask, Hei bowed slightly. The two men smiled, coming into the room. One of them, a tall man with short-cut red hair and deep blue eyes, quietly motioned to the other.

"Not at all. It's as much my fault as yours." Leaning in a little closer, he studied Hei intently.

"...Uh..." Not sure how to react, Hei took a half-step back. "Can I help you?" The man laughed.

"I think you can...I believe you're the man I'm looking for. Kenji Takahiro, am I right?" The man looked him in the eye, and Hei knew that he wasn't fooled by the false name. He was well and truly trapped now, but knew he couldn't get away safely.

"Yes, that's me. Sorry, but do I know you?" The redhead laughed, shaking his head.

"How impolite of me. No, you don't know me, but I hope to become very well acquainted soon. I'm Itsuki Katsuo. A pleasure to meet you." He held out his hand, patiently waiting until Hei shook it. The look in his eyes obviously suggested the name was, like Hei's, merely a cover. "I'd like to offer an arrangement that both of us will benefit from. A business deal, if you will." Hei withdrew his hand, all too cheerful,

"I'm very sorry, then. I'm quite happy with the arrangements I've made right now, and I don't think I'm really in the market for a new job." By now, most of the other workers in the restaurant were unusually attentive to their duties, especially those that brought them near to the two. Itsuki smiled complacently, reaching into his jacket pocket. He withdrew a single, white envelope, passing it across to Hei.

"I expected as much. Still, I have to hope you'll change your mind. Please, think on it for a while. In that envelope are the details; Read it soon, if you will. Some of the things entailed are...delicate." He bowed slightly, turning back to the door behind him. "And with that, I'll leave you kind people alone." Hei smiled and nodded, his mask firmly in place again.

After the man was gone, though, the crowd around the waiter took longer to disperse. Eventually breaking away from the questioning onlookers with the excuse of serving coffee, Hei took the first opportunity to rescue Yin from her hiding place and open the letter.

_BK-201_

_Do you still go by Hei? _

_It's been quite hard to find you, you know. After the Hell's Gate incident, it's as if you vanished off the face of the planet. Still, we are determined, and even the stars can be reached when people of our skills are determined._

_It's common knowledge that you haven't participated in the world of Contractors for some time now. I also know that you were cut loose from your organization, and your companions no longer walk this earth. I'm sorry; It's always hard to walk alone._

_This leads me into my point. I have a proposition to make you, and I know that it will take some convincing. So, I won't try and do it in a letter. Meet me tonight, under the bridge visible from your house. Bringing friends will make me think you're distrustful. _

_Dragon_

Hei sighed, crumpling up the note. Lighting a tiny spark momentarily off of one finger, he set the ball of paper alight and let it crumble to ash. Yin, who had read alongside him, merely looked up at his expressionless face.

"What now?" He blinked, looking down at her as the simple question escaped her mouth.

"What now, indeed..." He muttered, sighing. "Now, we make it back to the apartment safely."

Hei nearly made it out of the restaurant unhindered. As he reached for his jacket, he heard footsteps approaching from behind. He turned, regarding Natsuki as she approached. Her eyes widened, as if surprised at his awareness.

"Ah, Natsuki...Hello. Sorry, I was just leaving, else I'd stay and chat." She laughed along with him, but the laughter didn't seem to reach her eyes.

"It's fine, I don't really have time to talk for long anyway..." Her voice trailed off. Hei watched her eyes dart around searchingly, the smallest hint of a blush touching her cheeks. Taking a deep breath, she looked back up. "Are you going to leave here, Kenji? I know it's none of my business, only you've just arrived, and I hate to see..." He smiled, waving his hands to cut her off.

"It's fine. But, honestly, I don't know what we'll do yet." He glanced over to where Yin washed her hands, oblivious as usual. "We've had to move a lot, and I really don't want to uproot her again when she's settled down a little. But, there are other circumstances. I've had experience with the people who offered me this proposition before and they can be..." His mind drifted back to all of the troubles he'd had with the EPR, let alone with his own organization. "...Persistent, to say the least." Sourly, he finished, distaste obvious. "Sorry, but we really must be going. Busy time, you know?" Shrugging plaintively, Hei herded Yin towards the door.

"Ah-of course. Sorry for keeping you." Bowing slightly, the cook watched the door shut behind them.

The night took longer than usual to come, it seemed. If either of them were nervous, though, it didn't show in their demeanor. Hei simply cleaned and checked equipment too-long left alone in a closet, polishing or tightening where necessary. Yin was impassive, hardly a change.

"Yin." Hei's voice, breaking the silence, rang over-loud in the still apartment. The girl looked up at him, immediately attentive. Both of them knew that the time for acting parts was long over; Now, it was do or die. Dealing with Contractors was unpredictable at the best of times.

"I want you to take up a position in the general vicinity of the meeting spot. Not too close; I don't want them finding you." She nodded, still seeming unconvinced.

"Why, then? They said to come alone." Hei didn't look up, continuing to care for the intricate series of mechanics that powered his trademark wire.

"One. You need to be within range of the radio system. Two, I want you close enough that I can get to you quickly if they _do_ find out about you. And I need you to be watching in case they try to backstab us, or if the police catch wind of it." The girl nodded, seemingly satisfied. And that was it.

The two parted at the door to their apartment. They were surely being watched, so Yin would leave after Hei and hopefully avoid detection. With one final check of the radio earpieces, Hei donned his mask and was gone into the night.

The sky was already dark, an unhealthy purple glow spread by the light of the city. If one strained their eyes, they could see the dark shadow of the wall surrounding the Gate on the horizon. Now that he was free from the apartment area, his pace began to accelerate. Soon the buildings began to fly by as he kept his mind focused on the goal. There was only one such bridge visible from his apartment, so there was little doubt as to where to go.

"_Set._" The quiet lilt of her voice was accompanied by the harsh crackle of static.

"Begin watching. Be _careful_."

"Right." Silence set in again, broken only by the steady tapping of his feet against the concrete.

All too soon, the dim glow of the lights shone above him as he approached the underside of the bridge. No longer running, he watched as four people broke away from the darkest shadows and walked out to meet him halfway.

Two of them were the men who had met Hei at the restaurant, the redhead and his subordinate. Two, though, were unknown. A girl led almost protectively, her simplistic straight black hair set off by clear blue eyes. A man followed close behind her, bright grey eyes shining from behind brown locks even in the shady light.

The grey-eyed man pushed gently past the girl, coming forward to where Hei waited.

"So, you have come. Should I call you Hei?" Behind the mask, the other was impassively calculating the situation.

"Hei is fine. What do you want? I take it you're 'dragon'." With his eyes concealed, Hei was free to look around within reason and escape notice. He noted that Yin's observer spirit was out of sight; For now, at least. Dragon laughed, a heartier sound than one expected at first sight. The light-hearted nature of the expression never reached his eyes.

"Yes, I'm Dragon. Allow me to introduce my companions. This is Otter." He waved towards the girl, who nodded. Her eyes never left Hei, wary points of light in the darkness. "Snake, and his subordinate, Salamander." The redhead from before nodded, a smile that was more of a sneer touching his lips. The man behind him, his sturdily built frame not seeming at all like his namesake, ignored him. Despite the severity of the situation, Hei almost laughed at the poor naming choice of the organization.

"Honored." Hei dryly remarked. "Let me say it a second time. What do you want." Dragon winced dramatically.

"So harsh, my friend. Fine, I'll get down to business." His face lost all of its joking atmosphere as he assumed a solid stance. "I want you to join our organization." He held up a hand as Hei made as if to speak. "Let me finish before you say anything."

"We're known as the Second Bloom. All Contractors know what Amber sought to do. She wanted to make sure that the world was safe for all people, regardless of them being human, Contractor, or Doll. Unfortunately, she did not achieve that goal. But, that does not mean that we should give up."

_Is that your answer, Hei?_

"We want to pick up where she left off. There's still a lot of ground for us to cover. If we work together, though, it won't seem so far. There's no reason why we should have to hide our existence simply because we're Contractors."

_You said you didn't want that anymore!_

"We need you. You're a symbol to most Contractors. Amber was the one who made all of this possible. She was there when our stars were born, she fought for us in South America, and she fought and died for us in Tokyo. But you, you're the one who fought alongside her. You're the first star's companion. If you help us, who knows what we could do."

_You'll lose the very thing you longed for!_

He seemed to be finished with his speech, waiting for an answer. Hei paused a long moment, collecting his thoughts. Then, he slowly and clearly shook his head.

"I'm sorry. I wish the best for you. What Amber was doing was an incredible thing, and I hope that you can follow her footsteps. But, I can't allow myself to be bound to another organization. Not at this time." He knew it was true even as he said it; The world of Contractors was simply too unstable for him to be picking sides. Tipping the see-saw of life too far one way or the other could cause everyone on it to fall off.

"I ask you to reconsider. We need you." Dragon's demeanor had lost all friendliness by now. Hei shook his head, beginning to turn.

"Not interested. Goodbye." As he walked away, the rough dirt beneath his feet gave way. Holding in a cry, Hei quickly sank in to his knees. Fighting to keep his balance, he looked back to see Otter's eyes fading, the faint blue glow around her just visible in the darkness. From the other side, Snake approached with an unsheathed knife.

"I don't think you understand." Dragon seemed all too casual. "We not only need you as a symbol, but your unique powers. Like it or not, you're going to have to come with us." Snake swung the knife down, pommel-first. Hei grasped madly at his own flanged blade, blocking the attack with a flurry of sparks.

Straining his arms to the limit, Hei pushed himself clear of the nearly-solidified mud that had sucked him in. With a final burst, he leapt back, away from the knife as it swung down a second time to where he had been a moment before. In the background, the girl bent down for another go, her body already beginning to glow. His wire caught her around the arm as it reached down, her eyes widening in shock. An instant later, she knew nothing as his electricity sent her into blissful unconsciousness.

The moment cost him, though, as Hei felt tendrils wrapping themselves around his torso. From the corner of his eye, he could see the dark green of the plants as the once-docile grass grown on the riverside exploded out into a wild jungle.

"_Trouble. Get out._" As he fought to get free from the entrapping vines, Hei had to admire Yin's sense of timing.

"I'm—trying." Before him, Snake approached slowly, still glowing red and blue. His subordinate had collected Otter, slung over one shoulder, and together him and Dragon began to make their way over. His arms and legs were firmly ensnared, immobile. Their leader opened his mouth to begin his victory speech.

Right on cue, the blare of sirens took on a fever pitch as police swarmed the bridge above. All of the combatants paused despite themselves, glancing upwards in mutual disbelief.

Hei broke out of it first, taking advantage of the others' confusion to break free. Distracted as he was, the redhead Contractor didn't have the focus required to put energy or strength into the animated plants, and it was a simple enough task to rip free with one of his knives and a helping dose of electricity. Even as the small group opposite him realized what was happening and turned, he was gone into the night.

"I'm coming, Yin. It was a setup. Stay where you are, and for heaven's sake pull in your apparition." He got no reply, and hadn't expected one. Radio silence was best in tight situations. As he ran along the darkened streets, Hei thought ahead to the next few days. The two of them certainly couldn't go back to their apartment, and it would be hard to ensure they weren't followed.

_Looks like another sleepless night._


	5. Whirlpools

A/N: Sorry for the long update. I only have time to write during part of the day. I'm also in a camper 6 hours from home with crappy internet getting radiation therapy. I can't write while my mom's doing something else without feeling like a terrible daughter, and writing while she reads over my shoulder isn't something I'm willing to do. Point being, I don't have long to write. But, I have a bunch of new ideas now, so expect to see this story updated more along with perhaps some new stories on my account. Stay posted! Please read and review!

--

The sound of pencils filled the office space. Like a watchful mother, Misaki glanced around at the downturned heads before turning back to her own paperwork. _There used to be a day when we would just ride out to battle, instead of remaining behind filling out the paperwork for others. _The supply of things needing to be filled out seemed to be never-ending that day, and for a few hours the police chief had feared they would be buried until midnight or beyond. The other team members, though, had risen to the occasion bravely. With the work day only just coming to a close, they had managed to transform the wild fields of strewn papers into neat and orderly piles shrinking slowly into nonexistence.

With a pleased sigh, Kirihara set her pen down horizontally with a decisive click. However wonderfully her subordinates had behaved, they couldn't hide the flash of relief that passed over their faces collectively. Standing and stretching one blue-clad arm behind her head in a most non-delicate fashion, the woman opened one eye to glare at the others.

"You're all too slow. I can't be forced to sit around and wait for you guys to be done." Relaxing and dropping into a more normal stance, she smiled. "Or something like that. Nice job, everyone. What we have here can be finished off tomorrow, so there's no reason to keep all of us here. Wrap up what you're working on, and let's go home."

Not surprisingly, it took far less time for the men to pack up and leave than it did for them to file in and set up in the morning. In no time at all, she was left standing alone, bag on shoulder, locking up the dark office. Once the key was turned, Misaki was off and headed for home. She, too, had felt the effects of the long day's work, and wanted nothing more than to take a long, hot shower.

Which was why, when Kanami greeted her at the exit to the building, Kirihara found it harder than usual to return the warm smile offered her way. Nor did she miss the stack of papers tucked under one arm.

"Ehh…Kanami…could we work on these reports another day? We've been absolutely flooded, and I think my arm'll fall off if I have to sign one more sheet of paperwork." Ishizaki grinned, brushing back her bushy hair.

"So fearful, Misaki. But, yeah, we can wait. I wasn't going to do these now anyway. They're due in a few days, and before the bigwigs see them, I figured I'd run a few things past you. So, come along." Grinning and patting Misaki on the head once, her friend began tugging at her sleeve to follow out the door. Unwillingly, the policewoman trudged along behind the scientist.

--

"So, what's important enough that you'd interrupt my off-time?" Misaki sucked through a pop straw, still unamused. The two had taken up residence in a nearby café, Kanami seeking to appease her friend before the woman ripped her head off. The offending papers were now spread out between them, cups of soda balanced precariously on the few patches of level terrain. The astronomer rifled through the sheets, finally pulling one free.

"Here it is! I was looking through the sheets of activity, and this was on one of them…I figured you'd want to see it, so I pulled it out ahead of time." Passing it across, she began to motion with a pen as Misaki skimmed the lists of data.

"It started a week ago. There was just the tiniest amount of activity from your old friend, BK-201. Just a twinkle of the star, mind. But, since then, it's been ramping up both in frequency and intensity. A number of the other stars have likewise increased, most likely in response to him. We've gotten tracking on a few of the incidents, and it looks like he's headed in the general direction of Tokyo from Yokohama." Setting down the reports, Kirihara looked up at Kanami.

"Not that I don't appreciate this, but why did you think that this was so important to me that I had to hear about it before anyone else?" The astronomer rolled her eyes.

"You know, for someone who's so intelligent, you really are quite thick-headed sometimes." Kanami tapped her pen again, emphasizing each word. "You were in charge of the task force that looked for this contractor. You had close calls with him on _numerous_ occasions. Not to mention the fact that he's the one responsible for causing the Heaven's Gate explosion and nearly destroying Hell's Gate, along with most of Tokyo. You would be interested in that for no other reason than that, at the least. In fact, you seem to be a little over-sensitive." Misaki blinked, shifting uncomfortably.

"W-well, that's all very true. But, still…It seems like you're being a little bit extreme…" Kirihara trailed off as Kanami rolled her eyes expressively and dropped her head into her hands. Resting there for a moment, the other woman took a deep breath and looked back to Misaki indulgently.

"Look, Misaki. You've never given a straight and clear story as to exactly what happened after you recorded the cell phone conversation the day of the Solar Maximum. That's _fine._ It's your business, and if you don't want to talk about it you don't have to. But, I can get a pretty good picture of what probably happened." Her eyes were grave, assessing her friend's face as she talked. Kirihara shrugged, taking another sip.

"All right, fine. I admit that I haven't talked much about it. But, still. It's just a job. It's not personal to me." Kanami held her gaze for another long second before sighing and shrugging to match, giving up the fight. Kirihara stared at the mess of papers. "Buut...Could I have a copy of this report?" Kanami grinned.

"You can keep that one. I've got copies saved on the computers back at the lab." With that, the two chatted more normally before going their separate ways for the night.

Misaki stepped into her car, both hands on the wheel. About to turn out into traffic, she paused for a long moment. _It's nothing personal. Nothing at all. A team'll go out in a few days, and they'll find him and bring him in. And that'll be it._

_Yeah._

_Nothing at all._

_Oh, who am I kidding…_Hitting the gas, she pulled her sports car out into traffic and took off in the direction of the police headquarters.

--

Her superior was entirely surprised when Misaki burst into his office, panting slightly.

"Ah, Ms. Kirihara…What can I do for you? I was just about to leave, actually…"

"Sorry, sir, but I need to talk to you." Putting the report she had taken on his desk, she slid it across to him firmly. Puzzled, he picked it up as she began to talk.

"You can see what that report shows. BK-201 is on the move again. It's been just under a week since he became active. Sir, we have to move _now_ if we're going to stop this before something bigger starts. We can't let this one get by us." Her boss read it over, then glanced back up at Misaki.

"Granted, Kirihara, but what do you propose to do about it? He's notoriously elusive." She nodded, swallowing.

"I'd like to lead a team to go and try to find him, to catch him. I can _do_ this." Even before the words were out of her mouth, her boss was shaking his head.

"Ms. Kirihara. You didn't manage to catch him before, and what makes you think you'll be any more likely to catch him now? There are other people that can handle this. There's no reason for it to be turned over to you." She leaned forward onto his desk.

"But I know him better than anyone else, sir. And the fact that I did work on his case before makes me and my team the most prepared to catch him this second time. We know how he acts and thinks better than anyone." He sighed.

"Let's say that I do let you take this case for a second time. How do you plan on finding him? We don't know where this Contractor is or where he's going. By the time you hear where he is, he'll have moved on." Misaki paused, thinking hard.

"If we used a system of Dolls swept in close proximity to the area where we think he is or where he'll be next, we could catch a fight as it starts. A fight that happens is most likely inclusive of him." Her superior nodded slowly.

"That might work, but it'll leave gaps in our surveillance net…" He thought long and hard. "But, if you're this confident….All right, Misaki. You can have this one case. Just don't screw it up." Shouldering his bag, he strode from the room. Closing her eyes for a second, Misaki smiled before turning and returning to her car.

--

A day later saw her, Saitou, and Kouno sitting in a car, surrounded by the dark night air in the far outskirts of Tokyo. Kouno had tried to bring along his favorite meal of bean bread and milk, but had quickly discarded them at Saitou's glare. Misaki sat staring out the window, the handle to the radio microphone sitting idly in her lap.

The outlook had been perfectly silent so far. The astronomers had hastily compiled all their collected data into a map of the surrounding area, complete with predicted routes that the contractors might take.

"Have to say, Ma'am, that you chose quite the way to reward a loyal subordinate for his hard day's work," Kouno remarked, stretching leisurely in the backseat of her car. Saitou sighed, flicking his younger counterpart between the eyes.

"You know, you could try taking this seriously for once. It's actually kind of important, you know?" At his disapproving stare, Kouno flinched a little and sat back up.

"Don't see what's wrong…It's not like there's anything much going on…" Right on cue, the radio began to crackle with static. All 3 sat up straighter as Misaki began to tune the squelch on the radio, clearing out the static.

"We have movement of a small group of known contractors. Contact with the target is likely. The coordinates of their location have been transmitted." Misaki glanced down to the computer connected to the radio; a series of coordinates directing them to the contractors were being downloaded into their navigation system. Shifting the car into gear, Kirihara hit the accelerator and took off down the dark streets.

The dark buildings around them blurring into black streaks, the two in the backseat clung to armrests and seat belts uneasily. They couldn't risk lighting up their sirens; It would be a clear sign that police were on the way and defeat the purpose of coming all the way out. So, they were left speeding on emptied streets, trusting that they wouldn't run into anyone coming the other way or crossing the road.

"Contact with the target is confirmed. Final coordinates are being relayed, and the local authorities have been rerouted for backup. Godspeed." With a final hiss of static, the radio connection fell silent. Misaki glanced at the new directions and cursed under her breath. With a barely-uttered warning, she turned the car into a turning slide, pointing it back in the direction they had come from before taking a turn-off.

All too soon, they could see the sparks dancing above the spot, a flat and open area between two far-spaced buildings. As they accelerated towards it, the sirens behind them became more prominent. As they came closer, the three could see the fighters. Four combatants attacked from one side of the field, moving towards a single black figure. From far behind the lone fighter, a tiny silver figure could barely be seen crouching low to the ground.

For the second time in a few minutes, Misaki spun the car into the open space. Throwing it into park, she leapt out, followed closely by her subordinates. Reaching for the pistol she always carried somewhere on her body, the policewoman fired straight into the no-man's land of the melee.

"Everyone freeze! Stop right now!" She screamed. To the surprise of both herself and the combatants, they actually did pause for an instant. There was a single moment of unattainable tranquility as the universe held its breath. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see his head turn towards her.

The instant passed, and war resumed. The lone contractor darted forward, but one of the four reacted faster. He threw something towards the black-cloaked man, who reeled backwards for a moment, grasping at his face. Shards of white dropped from between his fingers to litter the ground. Before either of them could react further, the harsh red of police lights filled the battlefield. A patrol of cars skidded in to come to rest behind Misaki, spilling out officers. There was a second long moment, where the fighters looked up again to gauge the conflict a second time.

This time it was the single Contractor who reacted first. Leaping forward with deceptive speed to wrap one arm around the waist of the silver figure, he cast a wire into the upper workings of the building behind them and was gone into the darkness. The four, finding their battle departed, quickly melted away in the other direction.

Police rushed the field. Misaki was at the head, pausing where shards of white were scattered across the beaten soil. Bending, she grasped one of the larger pieces. Though it was dark, the black pattern of an eye was visible against the white porcelain. Visible, too, was the dark stain of blood along the bottom edge. The woman stood, fighting back waves of frustration.

"Dammit. We were so close." The words were barely a whisper. A drop of blood traced its way from the shard down her hand to drip to the ground.


End file.
